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Supporting Breastfeeding

When a mother is returning to work and chooses to continue breastfeeding her infant, there are several areas of responsibility for employers, supervisors, mothers, and co-workers. These are key to providing an accommodating and supportive environment for a working mother to carry out her breastfeeding goals.

Employer

Providing the resources for breastfeeding support has numerous benefits to employers, including higher productivity, fewer sick days and time off, and improved employee morale. In order to be in compliance with federal law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010), employers can support breastfeeding mothers returning to work by:

Providing “reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk.”

Providing “a private place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk."

Supervisor

Supervisors can support employees through comprehensive support programs, as well as communicating their support to the employee before her maternity leave starts, and after she returns to work:

Support having a flexible work schedule by allowing mothers to return to work gradually or on a flexible schedule. Support fathers’ participation in the birth and lactation process by supporting leaves and flexible schedules for both parents.

Allow for time during the work day for breastfeeding/pumping.

Work with the nursing mother to identify an appropriate place to pump breast milk. This can be a private office that is nearby, or a room specifically designated for this purpose.

Be sensitive to the fact that:

Not all women know whether they will breastfeed before their baby arrives.

Women choose to breastfeed for a variety of reasons.

Not all women will feel comfortable discussing their breastfeeding choices.

It is important to be sensitive to the privacy of the new mother’s choices.

Keeping privacy in mind, educate other employees about special arrangements for breastfeeding co-workers, to avoid possible misunderstandings.

Both supervisors and co-workers can help to create a supportive work climate.

Mother

Breastfeeding is an important step in helping to give a baby the best start to life. Even when returning to work, it is possible to balance work obligations while still maintaining breastfeeding goals.

Investigate how to purchase a breast pump or acquire a pump kit if you plan to use one of the hospital-grade pumps at the U-M hospital. These hospital-grade pumps require an Ameda Egnell Double Pump Kit to attach to the electric pump, or you may use Ameda pump parts that come with your Ameda portable pump.

Seek out other breastfeeding mothers, perhaps co-workers or a local support group, to share experiences and tips that may be helpful as you work to maintain your breastfeeding goals.

Co-workers

Co-worker support is an important part of a smooth transition for a breastfeeding mother, and it contributes to a supportive work environment. Breastfeeding provides important health benefits to mother and baby, which can in turn benefit the workplace -- less time taken off for sick days, higher productivity, reduced employee turnover, and more.

As a co-worker of a breastfeeding mother, there are many ways that you can be supportive:

Be sensitive of the mother’s privacy regarding her breastfeeding choices.